Paying out of Pocket

Paying out of pocket (you don‘t have insurance or you don’t want to use parent’s/guardian’s/partner’s insurance)

If you don’t have private or public insurance and can’t use state programs like FamilyPACT, then you will likely have to pay by cash, debit, or credit card. This is called paying out of pocket. Many clinics have a sliding-scale, which means they adjust the price for people based on how much they can pay. Some areas have free clinics too!

If you think you will need to pay out of pocket, call ahead and ask if they have a sliding scale and exactly how much it will cost (don’t forget to ask about the costs of any medications or tests that may come up in the visit!)

Some providers will not accept patients that don’t have insurance and want to pay cash so be sure to call ahead to ask if they will accept cash/debit/credit.

Some clinics have staff on hand that will help you find government programs that you are eligible for and help enroll you on the spot. {link to FamilyPACT section]

In the US, no person can be denied emergency care, even if they cannot pay for it at the time. Just beware that the hospitals do send bills later, but there are sometimes payment plans (and if you do get a bill, you should always call the billing department and ask them to decrease the charge – it usually works!). You may want to ask if they have any forms you can fill out to see if you qualify to have the costs covered.